E-mail to Bill Gates, (have the guts to go nuts)
Mr. Gates,
Just a few thoughts from the office-boy from Holland,
your top 10 of biggest mistakes.
1. Fighting the wrong bear
2. Thinking (or pretending) "faster & better" is the same
as "adding value".
3. Hiring the best & smartest programmers in the world to
protect you from being the next IBM. What you don't see is
that these programmers all have became like you, their leader.
They act like you, they think like you. To little feedback if
you get my point. Every onces in a while somebody needs a kick
under his ass to keep him sharp. And "followers" or "disciples"
don't do that.
4. Planning a landing on the heavily defended beaches of Kuwait,
5. Focussing on "beating" the DoJ instead of looking for
win-win situations.
6. Money has became your top-priority, introducing new products
(faster & better) is a way to do it. Ever heard of Michael Dell
(who also started in a garage). He thinks different, he makes
money, lots and lots of money, by putting adding value, in the
true meaning of the word, on top of his priority list.
7. You think in terms of eating the competition, Michael Dell
thinks in terms of sharing information with customers,
subcontractors andsofort.
He is outperforming you the last decade, if we compare both
companies stock-graphs.
8. You think money and winning is the most important thing
in the world. Let me ask you a question, for how much money
would you sell your wife (or kids) to the highest bidder.
9. You've changed, your not the pizza-eating idealist who
could go through on all night, you once was. That is what
will destroy you, rather sooner than later.
10. You played poker, I played poker The way you play your
poker-game today is too simple. You smile when you have lousy
cards, (or not even that anymore), and you look worried if
you have great cards. Too simple, I will whitewash you in a
poker-game.
On the other hand, don't get me wrong, I still respect you and
hope I will be able to use your products in the future.
But I doubt it, for several reasons.
With regards,
Paul van Wijk, the officeboy from Holland |
